Healthcare waste sorted by color and sorted in designated rooms in CHC Thara Hospital-Banaskantha District-India-Photo Credit Jariwala UNICEF 2022.

3.85 billion people use facilities that lack basic hand hygiene services

1.7 billion people use facilities that lack basic water services

780 million people use facilities with no sanitation services.

Across the world’s 46 least-developed countries, the problem is even greater: half of health care facilities lack basic water services. Furthermore, the extent of the problem remains hidden because major gaps in data persist, especially on environmental cleaning.

WASH services in health care facilities, so often taken for granted, are needed more than ever to protect vulnerable patients and health workers.

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Explore the latest data

Least Developed Countries:

53%

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of health care facilities
have basic water services

32%

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of health care facilities have basic hygiene services

21%

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of health care facilities have basic sanitation services

34%

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of health care facilities have basic health care waste management services

Global data:

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countries have basic water data (increase from 52 in 2020)

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countries have basic hand hygiene data (increase from 21 in 2020)

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countries have basic sanitation data (increase from 27 in 2020)

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countries have basic healthcare waste management data (increase from 58 in 2020)

What do we know work for countries to improve WASH?

Countries should undertake efforts at the sub-national and national level to implement the eight practical steps, and in particular:

Implement costed national roadmaps with appropriate financing
Monitor and regularly review progress in improving WASH services, practices and the enabling environment.
Develop capacities of the health workforce to sustain WASH services and promote and practice good hygiene.
Integrate WASH into regular health sector planning, budgeting and programming to deliver quality services.